


Graduation

by FrozenSnares



Series: Benefits of Detention [10]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Fluffiness, Graduation, Kissing, Lunch, M/M, Some Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 05:42:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3108239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenSnares/pseuds/FrozenSnares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shireen had graduated high school, and her family is there to celebrate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Graduation

Shireen was wearing a rather disgustingly-colored yellow robe. Rickon bit back a smile as she caught sight of him and began to run over. She grabbed onto her hat and ran straight into his waiting arms. He leaned his head down and buried his nose in her hair, squeezing her tighter. She pulled back slightly and grinned at him.

“Congratulations,” Rickon said, returning her smile. “Is your dad here yet?”

Stretching up onto the balls of her feet, Shireen scanned the crowd. “I know he’s _here_ , but I can’t see him yet.”

“Good.” Rickon reached out and buried a hand in her hair. At the same time, he grabbed the zipper of her graduation gown, pulling it down and sliding his hand around her waist. He pulled her tight against him and covered her lips with his.

She sighed against his mouth. In the past several months of dating Rickon, Shireen had become increasingly more comfortable with Rickon’s incessant need to publicly display his affection. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. Her hat began to slip off her head, but Rickon reached out to catch it before it could hit the ground.

They held each other until someone cleared their throat rather loudly from behind them. Shireen jumped slightly, and Rickon adjusted himself so she was standing at her side with an arm around her waist. He did, however, keep it inside her robe. They turned, facing Shireen’s Uncle Renly.

“You’re lucky I’m not your father, missy,” Renly said. He was holding out a bundle of balloons to Shireen.

Shireen took the balloons and gave him a smile. “You and Loras were worse, and you know it,” she retorted. “Besides, I’m sure Dad’s seen us kiss before.”

“Just because he’s seen it doesn’t mean he likes it.” Loras stepped out from behind Renly, holding a bouquet of flowers and a lei made of orchids. “And we can still beat you youngsters at PDA.”

Loras stepped forward to place the lei around Shireen’s neck before shoving the bouquet in her hands. She was beginning to look ridiculous with all her graduation gifts. Rickon attempted to put the hat back on her head. Apparently having done a poor job, Renly adjusted her hat and began taking pictures of Shireen.

“Don’t forget to hold up your diploma!” Loras said, standing behind Renly and checking his framing.

“It’s just a piece of paper,” Shireen said. She held it up anyway.

After a while, Rickon was shoved into the pictures with Shireen. He, of course, tried to make the experience as embarrassing as possible by waiting until the last possible second before moving to kiss her on the cheek. Once, he even managed to lick her – resulting in a shriek from Shireen and roaring laughter from her uncle and his boyfriend.

A few minutes later, Stannis showed up with another man at his side. “Shireen, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Dad,” Shireen said. “Hello, Davos!”

The man went to give Shireen a hug, lifting her off the ground some. He was of an age with her father, maybe slightly older. His beard was sprinkled with gray, but his eyes still looked full of life. He released Shireen, and Loras immediately moved them into position for more pictures.

“What took you so long, Stannis?” Renly asked, taking a picture and holding up a hand to signal that he was going to take more.

“I was trying to find my way through the growing crowd of high school students and their families,” Stannis said between pictures. “It’s gotten quite cluttered here.”

“We told you to follow the balloons!” Loras said. “They’re massive. It shouldn’t have been too hard.”

There was a slight pause as Renly took another picture.

“If you haven’t noticed, everyone here has balloons, Renly,” Stannis said, gesturing to the many students who had balloons around them.

Renly took a few more pictures before Rickon offered to take some of all the Baratheons together. Renly and Loras made a big deal of looking pointedly at both Rickon and Shireen before agreeing and letting him take the camera. Rickon tried to maintain a professional demeanor, but Renly and Loras were messing around just as much as he had been. He wondered if any of the pictures ended up looking good. Eventually, Stannis bullied them into behaving for a picture.

“So are we doing lunch?” Renly asked, taking his camera back from Rickon. “We have quite a party, a wonderful girl to celebrate, and I already made reservations at Crownlands so you can’t say no.”

Stannis looked slightly irked at Renly’s suggestion, but Davos clapped him on the back and he went willingly. Shireen began to pull Rickon toward her dad’s car with her, but Renly forcefully separated them and insisted that Rickon come with Loras and him. They needed some time apart according to Renly.

While driving across town to Crownlands, Loras turned to Rickon. “So I’m sure Shireen has brought it up,” he began, “but I just need to be sure that you’re completely comfortable with, you know, me and Renly, or Stannis and whoever.”

Rickon actually laughed. “Yeah, no,” he said. “I don’t care. You guys can like whoever you want to like as long as I can, too.”

“Oh, thank the seven!” Renly exclaimed from the driver’s seat. “Shireen’s so picky about details. She just goes on and on about how perfect you are without ever telling us _why_. Loras was worried you bullied her into it after hearing about your, er, stint in correction school.”

Rickon laughed that off as well. “Yeah, if she told you about that without any details, I can see how you’d reach that conclusion,” he said evenly. “Really, though, it’s all good. I don’t care. And my brother’s gay, too, so…”

Renly looked excitedly at Rickon through the rearview mirror. A look of curiosity crossed his face before becoming steady concentration. Rickon felt like he was looking at Gendry and immediately shook the feeling.

“So the wedding your sister’s having…?” Renly questioned.

“Sansa and Shireen have gotten really close,” Rickon said. “And I think Sansa wanted Shireen to feel like part of the family.”

Renly and Loras shared a nod of agreement before a thought occurred to Loras. “But you won’t be walking down the aisle together?”

“Arya’s the maid of honor,” Rickon said by way of explanation. “Gendry and I have worked out an agreement for after Sansa leaves, though.”

“Yes, Gendry… my nephew…” Renly said slowly. “I still can’t believe Robert would be so inconsiderate!”

“It was Cersei’s fault, and you know it, dear,” Loras said, patting Renly’s arm.

The two of them fell into their own conversation and Rickon felt like his questioning was over for the time being. He settled into his seat until they pulled in at Crownlands. Rickon remembered his brief history here before putting the thought aside. He hadn’t actually caused any damage – everything should be fine.

Shireen was standing at the door of her father’s car, slowly extracting herself from her graduation accessories. Rickon went over to help her out of her leis and robe. She was wearing a pretty sundress underneath.

“You’re fine eating here?” Shireen asked. She grabbed onto Rickon’s arm to change her shoes.

“I have nothing against the restaurant,” Rickon said. “I have everything against assholes who don’t respect you.”

A small blush spread across Shireen’s face, but Renly called from across the parking lot, “Watch your language!”

Laughing, Renly and Loras went into the restaurant, pulling Stannis and Davos in behind them. Shireen rolled her eyes at her uncle, before turning back to Rickon and grabbing a light sweater from the back seat. “They’re much worse,” she said. “They have no right to be telling you things like that.”

Rickon shrugged. “I can take it,” he said. “Besides, it’s not like you haven’t heard worse out of my mouth.”

“It’s usually defending me, though,” Shireen replied. She pulled on her sweater and adjusted her dress. Then, she looked up at Rickon.

He felt something in his stomach drop. Shireen was so beautiful and perfect. Now, she was looking up at him with such adoration and love. Rickon needed to rush them off before he acted without thinking. He was about to suggest that they follow her family inside, but Shireen pinned him against the car. Rickon felt himself sputter out some nonsensical syllables, earning a laugh from her before she began kissing him earnestly. Rickon kissed her back far enough to pull away from her.

“You’re seriously going to get me in trouble,” he breathed out.

“I’ll keep you anyway,” she said. She pecked him once more on the lips before pulling him behind her to the restaurant.

They joined everyone else at a table for six, and Shireen thanked Renly for leaving them two seats next to each other. When a waitress came over to pour them water, Rickon couldn’t help but notice that she was staring at him far too much. He put an arm around Shireen’s shoulders, but she seemed oblivious to the pass. Renly and Loras, however, were holding back a fit a laughter.

The rest of the meal passed in relative peace with little odd comments. Eventually, Loras brought up Shireen’s higher education.

“So, college, Shireen?” he asked. “Have you submitted confirmation anywhere?”

Shireen swallowed a mouthful of water before responding. “I’m going up to Winterfell University,” she said. “I’ve heard that it’s much colder, but it’ll be worth it.”

Renly raised his eyebrows at Rickon. “Because of a certain somebody?”

“Because of the renowned English Literature department,” Shireen defended, tossing a crumb at Renly.

“Aren’t you down here for another year, Rickon?” Stannis asked pointedly.

Rickon nodded. “Yeah, my dad’s still got some more stuff to work out down here,” he said. “So, I’ll be here for at least another year. After that, everything’s kind of up in the air. He has offered Shireen housing at our property up north, though.”

“But I told him that I wanted to live in a dorm,” Shireen cut in. “Besides, the Stark household is massive up there. Being there for a year by myself… it’s a little much.”

“You could probably throw some wicked parties, though,” Rickon said, nudging Shireen in the ribs.

Everyone began laughing until Davos raised his voice. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do well anywhere,” he said. “You’ve shown that you can handle anything.”

Shireen gave him a smile. “I’ll be fine,” she said.

They ate dessert together, continuing laughing and poking fun at everyone. Eventually, they went back to Stannis’s place until Shireen had to drive Rickon home.

Rickon squeezed Shireen’s hand as she drove. “Well, that went better than expected,” he said, looking out the window.

“They’re good company,” Shireen said. “Although, I think Renly and Loras were putting you through boyfriend assessment the whole time.”

“You’re weren’t there for the car ride,” Rickon said. “They seemed to think that you don’t give enough information.”

Shireen rolled her eyes and pulled into the Stark driveway. Rickon leaned over to kiss Shireen on the cheek. She turned into him to make their lips connect. Rickon kissed her back soundly, letting one of his hands sink into her hair. Shireen moaned against his lips and pressed into him.

Rickon pulled back slightly. “What is with you today?”

Shireen pouted. “A whole year, Rickon,” she said. “I’m going to be gone for a whole year.”

“A whole school year,” Rickon corrected. “It’s like nine months, and you still get holidays off.”

“But you still have three more years of school here, before you’ll get to university,” Shireen said. “And even if you do get into Winterfell, it’s still only a year before everything’s up in the air again. Not to mention that – ”

Rickon cut her off with a kiss. “Remember when I said I wasn’t afraid of long distance?”

Shireen nodded. Her eyes were glistening.

“I’m not going to let you go, you beautiful girl,” he said, brushing a thumb across her cheek. “My family might move back up, too. Anything can happen. Except for this. I am always going to be yours. Got it?”

Shireen lunged at Rickon again, pulling him into a deep kiss. Rickon reached over to turn the car off and pulled Shireen into his lap. She curled up against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Rickon had one hand supporting her head and his other was tracing patterns on her legs.

“Are you sure nothing’s going to change your mind?” Shireen asked softly.

“Like what?” Rickon asked. “No one else could possibly match up to you.”

Shireen bit her lip. “And no one else would bother to date me…”

“Because they know I’ll kick their ass,” Rickon finished for her. “You’re mine.”

Shireen kissed him again, and Rickon smiled against her mouth. After a while, they pulled apart.

“This isn’t even goodbye,” Rickon said. “We still have the summer, and I’m definitely going to help you move in at Winterfell.”

“You are?” Shireen asked excitedly.

Rickon nodded. “I need to make sure everyone up there knows you’re taken,” he said. “And strike fear into anyone who tries to insult you.”

Shireen rolled her eyes. “Rickon…”

“Too much?” he asked, pulling her in for another kiss. “This, I’ll miss though. I won’t be able to kiss you every day.”

“What will you do instead?” Shireen asked. “Call me?”

“If you want me to.”

“It could work for me,” Shireen said. “You’ll just have to make up for the kisses when I do see you.”

Rickon nudged his nose against hers. “You silly girl,” he muttered. “Like anything would make me stop.”


End file.
